Manila, June 27, 2003(Star) In 50 years of operation, ABS-CBN
Broadcasting Corp. has been led by three generations of visionaries. From Don
Eugenio "Eñing" Lopez Sr. who first envisioned ABS-CBN to Eugenio "Genny" Lopez
Jr., who translated his father’s vision into unparalleled success, ABS-CBN
leadership has always been distinguished by its pioneering spirit. Currently,
the impressive tandem of Eugenio Lopez III and Federico M. Garcia has continued
in the same vein, breaking new ground and maintaining a competitive edge in the
industry.

A man with a vision

They called him the man with a vision. For most, being heir to a sugar
plantation in Jaro, Ilo-ilo would have been enough. However, Eugenio, "Eñing"
Lopez Sr., born on July 20, 1901, was destined for more than a life of affluence
and comfort.

After excelling in his education at the Ateneo, University of the Philippines
and Harvard University, Eñing and his brother Fernando officially took over the
Lopez hacienda.

After a rewarding stint in the farming industry, Eñing soon turned his
attention to unexplored territory. His guiding vision was clear: transportation,
communication, and commerce were one, and would prove successful when
integrated. Among his first moves was the revival of the newspaper El Tiempo, as
well as the establishment of the Iloilo Times.

In the 50 years that followed, Eñing positioned himself in the most strategic
sectors of the Philippine economy. He ventured into public utilities, and built
a transportation empire in Iloilo. Legend has it that the double-decker buses
that rule Hong Kong roads had their Asian debut in Manila, through Eñing’s
efforts.

After Liberation, when his brother Fernando ventured into public service as
mayor of Iloilo, it fell to Eñing to take over the family business. He acquired
The Manila Chronicle, the first post-war newspaper in the country. Not content
with the progress he was making with the paper, Eñing branched out into other
forms of media, strengthening his position in different industries.

"My father was a very impatient man, one who didn’t let grass grow under his
feet," Eugenio "Genny" Lopez Jr. once said of his father. Indeed, Eñing Lopez
seemed to thrive on the challenge of greater achievement. Six months after he
acquired the Chronicle Broadcasting System, Eñing started negotiating with Judge
Antonio "Tony" Quirino, owner of the first TV station in the Philippines, which
would later become the Alto Broadcasting System. "He called Tony to the house
for breakfast, and they signed an agreement on a napkin," said Geny. With that
makeshift beginning, the fate of Philippine television was sealed.

By 1968, the consolidated company was officially known as ABS-CBN. In the
years that followed, Eñing plowed on, making his mark as an industrial maverick.
He demanded nothing less than the loyalty and diligence of his employees, which
he never failed to reward. By the time martial law was declared, ABS-CBN was
number one, with 22 radio stations and six TV channels all over the country. The
company’s gross receipts totaled more than that of their competitor’s put
together. The legacy continues

When martial law took effect, major Lopez business interests were seized,
ABS-CBN was shut down, and Geny was arrested and sent to jail. Of all that has
been taken away, it was Geny’s imprisonment that hit his father the hardest. In
1975, Eñing succumbed to cancer in the United States.

While the Old Man’s death signified the end of an era, it was only the
beginning of the Lopez legacy. At the fall of the Marcos dictatorship, Geny
returned to the Philippines after years of exile in the United States. With his
brother Manolo, Geny reclaimed and rebuilt the Lopez empire. In time, ABS-CBN’s
former glory was restored, with an even brighter sheen.

The duo’s pioneering efforts did not stop there. The Lopez brothers, imbued
with their father’s drive and commitment to excellence, explored previously
untapped sectors such as water, telecommunications, highways, land development
and power generation. By 1999, the publicly listed Lopez companies constituted
almost 10 percent of the PHISIX, with a total of P180 billion in market
capitalization.

The secret of their success may be found in Geny’s atypical business
philosophy, with its decidedly altruistic bent. "I have always believed that
public services is the only reason for our existence," said Geny. "Profit alone
is not enough of a reason to exist. If we can serve people, then our growth and
success will follow. It we take care of our customers, then they will take care
of us. That is the kind of culture a company should have." With foundations such
as the Eugenio Lopez Foundation and the ABS-CBN Foundation, the Lopezes are
firmly committed to social change.

Under Geny’s direction, expansion and consolidation became the name of the
game. As early as the 1980’s, Geny saw that local programming, not foreign
shows, would be the wave of the future. In a bold move, he developed programming
ideas that were designed for broad audiences and local tastes. Geny’s innovation
proved to be revolutionary–in the wake of a move that drew the bulk of the
advertising peso, rival stations were left scrambling to follow ABS-CBN’s lead.

By the time Geny rejoined his Creator in 1999, there was no doubt that ABS-CBN
was firmly entrenched at the top, a position that it is poised to maintain in
the future. The rise of a new generation

When Geny’s son, Eugenio "Gabby" Lopez III, now chairman and CEO, took over
the business in 1997, he was determined to build on the blueprint that had been
laid out by his father. His vision was brave and far-reaching, reflecting the
era of globalization to which he belonged. From the moment he took over the
company, Gabby set out to usher the network into the global landscape.

Educated a Ateneo, Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine and Harvard Business
School, Gabby began his career as a banker (Bancom in the Philippines and
Crocker in the US). Without the aid of his illustrious family name and under
exacting standards, Gabby pushed himself beyond his limits. The discipline he
developed would serve him well later in his career. Even without training or any
prior experience in media, save for a short summer stint as a radio DJ, Gabby’s
instincts and innate talents gave him everything he needed to steer ABS-CBN
boldly into the new millennium.

Gabby’s life philosophy is typical of the achiever–his boundless energy
coupled with his unflinching commitment to his family legacy, drives him to work
at his peak, in every instance of every day. At times, he wonders if he has been
able to earn the honor that was bestowed on him the moment he was charged with
leading the company. The answer to this is clear enough: despite challenges from
all quarters, ABS-CBN remains the top television station in the country.

After 50 years, the network continues to blaze new trails, and fulfill its
commitment to be of service to the Filipino, both here and abroad. Gabby has
established a company that is not only a profitable media organization, but also
a multi-media firm that has successfully evolved into a fully integrated
entertainment-media outfit.

Like his father and grandfather, Gabby pursued the path of the maverick. He
gunned for the station’s used of satellite transmissions. Entrusting programming
details to Federico "Freddie" Garcia, more popularly known as FMG, Gabby delved
into the uncharted territories of digital post-production, merchandising, cinema
and music. It was clear that a new era had begun.

Currently ABS-CBN’s president and chief operations officer, FMG’s brilliance
is said to be unbounded by time. When he first set foot on the premises of ABS-CBN
in 1967, he hardly had any work experience in broadcasting. He was, in fact, a
newly married 23-year-old former car salesman, with no experience in TV.
However, Geny knew potential when he saw it, and gave the enthusiastic young man
a chance. The rest, as they say, is history. FMG became television’s pied
piper–wherever he led, Filipino, viewers were sure to follow.

FMG changed the face of the Philippine television. Following Marcos’ closure
of ABS-CBN, he personally sought Geny’s permission before signing up for a job
at the newly reopened Republic Broadcasting System Channel 7. His former boss
agreed, on the condition that he would return the moment ABS-CBN reopened.

After the 1986 Edsa Revolution. FMG made good on his promise and returned to
ABS-CBN one year later. His return heralded the golden age for Philippine
television. Viewers who held their breath to see what he would conjure up were
not disappointed.

ABS-CBN, like the proverbial phoenix, started its meteoric from the ashes.
With help from the likes of Charo Santos-Concio, and Johnny Manahan, FMG gifted
viewers with trend-setting shows like TV Patrol, Mel and Jay, Maalaala Mo Kaya
and Palibhasa Lalake. To date, FMG is credited with the reinvention of ABS-CBN.
He coined TV IDs like Maraming Salamat Po!, and "The Star Network," and tapped
into the Filipino pride that was soaring in the glow of post-Edsa I.

Once ABS-CBN’s hold on the market was secure, FMG’s pioneering spirit led him
to direct the network towards other ventures like the Talent Center, Star Cinema
and other such lucrative businesses. He was, in fact, responsible for starting
the telenovela craze that held the nation in its thrall and spawned a legion of
imitators. FMG’s place in the Television Hall of Fame is guaranteed.

Under the helm of visionaries like Don Eugenio "Eñing" Lopez, Eugenio "Geny"
Lopez Jr., Eugenio "Gabby" Lopez III and Federico M. Garcia, ABS-CBN has shaped
the television landscape, and served its public well. After 50 years of
broadcast leadership, viewers can only look forward to 50 more years of
innovative entertainment and public service from a network that is destined to
break new ground, in the service of the Filipino.